


Whatever Comes Next

by littlemarvelfics



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Cheating, F/M, Face Punching, Punching, Reader-Insert, Reader-Interactive
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-01
Updated: 2019-08-11
Packaged: 2020-04-05 19:06:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19046539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlemarvelfics/pseuds/littlemarvelfics
Summary: You and Bucky are married, Bucky and Steve are best friends but Steve supports you- no matter what.





	1. Whatever Comes Next

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all! Come tumble with me at littlemarvelfics! Send in your requests and such!

You stood in your five-year-old daughter’s room, flipping through her clothes until you found a suitable outfit. Your little family had been planning on seeing the Easter bunny at the mall for weeks now but Bucky kept canceling and Becca didn’t want to go without him, claiming she was nervous about it. You understood completely, in the pictures of you and the Easter bunny from your childhood, you look terrified- standing as far away from him as possible, while still being in the frame. Your daughter came bouncing into her room and flopped on her bed.

“What do ya think of this dress bug?” you asked her, holding up the slightly poofy dress with a vintage floral pattern on it.

“Yay!” she exclaimed, giving you a thumbs up.

You returned her gesture before hanging the dress on the back of her closet door and ushering her into the bathroom to give her a quick bath before the two of you got ready. You washed her quickly and brushed out her brown hair that looked almost exactly like Bucky’s and set her up with her favorite TV show on the iPad while you got ready. You styled your hair and started on your makeup when you felt a tap on your leg. You looked down at your blue-eyed daughter and smiled.

“Yes?” you questioned.

“Can I sit with you and watch you put your makeup on?”

You chuckled as you lifted her up onto the counter. Becca crossed her legs and watched intently as you applied your makeup quickly, giving her a kiss on her cheek when you finished your lipstick, causing her to burst out into giggles.

“How are my girls?” Bucky asked, suddenly appearing in the doorway. You had to admit, even after being together for nearly ten years, he still took your breath away. He had on a navy blue suit, his light blue shirt slightly open at the collar.

“Daddy!” Becca squealed, wiggling off the counter and running into her father’s legs, wrapping her arms tightly around him.

You squeezed past them into your room, running into the closet to grab your outfit for the day, a long-sleeved floral dress that stopped below your knees and some white flats.

“ **Let’s get a picture with the Easter bunny!** ” you cheered, trying to hype up your daughter who was now balanced on Bucky’s hip.

“Yeah… about that…” Bucky started with a grimace.

You took a deep breath and tried to calm yourself down, you didn’t want to fight in front of Becca.

“Becca baby? Will you go get mommy’s phone from downstairs? And then wait in the kitchen?”

She smiled at you and Bucky kissed her head before setting her down. You watched her run down the stairs before turning your attention back to Bucky.

“Are you kidding me Bucky?! Again?!” you said, not trying to hide your annoyance.

“It’s work baby! If I don’t go close the Stark deal I’m done for. The proposal is this week. I gotta go!” he defended.

“It’s always work and you always have to go! What am I gonna do here huh? She wants her dad there with her today and you’re just gonna bail on her?!” you said, venom lacing your words.

Bucky just stood there staring at you, seemingly waiting for you to tire yourself out but you were far from done.

“Are you going to say anything? Or are you just gonna stand there? Just be her dad when  _you_  decide it’s convenient? It doesn’t fucking work like that James,” you seethed. “I cannot keep living like this.  _Becca_  can’t keep living like this. You have got to figure out who you’re gonna be in this Bucky. I’m tired of being a married single-parent. You need to make a choice.”

You pushed past him and went to find Becca. You found her sitting at the kitchen table playing with your phone and heard the front door slam- Bucky had left. You took a deep breath and prepared to put on your best fake smile when Becca spoke up.

“Daddy isn’t coming?”

You could see the tears threatening to fall down her face and you immediately crouched down beside her.

“He’s gotta work bug. But how about this, you wanna call Uncle Steve and see if he’ll come with us?”  

Becca seemed to perk up at the mention of her favorite uncle, not that you would ever tell Sam that Steve was her favorite. You took your phone from her and got ready to dial.

“Do you wanna ask him or should I?”

“I wanna!” Becca replied quickly. You hit the call button and handed the phone over.

“Uncle Steve? It’s Becca!”

You couldn’t hear the other end of the conversation but whatever Steve said made her giggle.

“Will you please come to meet the Easter bunny with me and mommy?”

It didn’t take long for a full smile to spread across her face as she mumbled an ‘okay’ and handed the phone to you.

“He wants to talk to you.”

“Hey Stevie,” you said.

“Why are you making that kid meet the Easter bunny. He’s terrifying,” he said without preamble.

“I dunno. Family memories or some garbage. Will you come with us? She’s nervous and having her Uncle Steve come along might help.”

“Of course I’ll come. You know I’d do anything for that kid, including see the spooky bunny.”

“You are an absolute lifesaver! We’re leaving in a few minutes, I’ll text you the address?”

He agreed and you hung up your phone, quickly texting him where you were heading. You grabbed your purse and strapped Becca into her car seat and set off towards the mall. The two of you sang her favorite songs from The Little Mermaid the entire way, stopping only when your phone interrupted with a text from Steve, letting you know he was in the parking lot. About five minutes later, you pulled into a spot and smiled when you saw Steve getting out of his car two rows over. You hopped out as he jogged over, quickly beating you to the side of the car where Becca was humming to herself in her car seat. Steve quickly opened the door and you heard Becca’s excited squeal when she saw Steve. Steve unbuckled her and picked her up carrying her over to you. You reached out to grab her but she turned away from you and buried her face in Steve’s neck.

“I’ve been betrayed by my own daughter,” you scoffed sarcastically.

“Yeah well, she knows who the fun one is,” Steve replied.

You leaned towards Steve and gave him a hug and a peck on the cheek. You took a moment to admire how he was dressed, a sweater over his checkered shirt, paired with a black tie and black pants. It suddenly dawned on you that he probably had other plans.

“Oh my God Steve.”

“Oh my God what?” he asked.

“Did you have plans today?! I cannot believe-”

“Woah, slow down,” he said, cutting you off. “I didn’t have plans and even if I did I would drop them for the two of you in a second.”

You breathed a sigh of relief and gestured for Steve to lead the way into the mall. He looked over at you briefly while you were distracted on your phone. He meant it when he said he would do anything for you and Becca. He cared for the two of you more than he would ever admit. You were his best friend’s girl but even Steve could see that Bucky hadn’t been as prepared for fatherhood as he thought. So Steve had stepped up, doing everything he could to make sure you and Becca knew that you had someone to turn to if things got too rough.

The three of you quickly found yourself in a line of parents and children, some of whom were crying. Other kids were screaming and a select few were quietly waiting their turn. Steve put Becca down to let her explore and so he could talk to you with some semblance of privacy.

“You know I’m overjoyed to be here,” he said, slight sarcasm coating his words. “But why isn’t Buck here?”

“Work,” you replied, rolling your eyes.

“Work?” Steve questioned. “What work? It’s Sunday. They would have called me too if something had happened.”

Steve and Bucky held nearly identical positions at Sheild, a tech company founded by Nick Fury. They were essentially both second in command.

“I dunno. He said he had to work on the Stark deal for this week.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“What are you talking about Steve? I don’t work there!”

“The Stark deal already closed…” he replied carefully. “I don’t know why he said that. But the deal was done last week, even the drop period ended.”

“So why is he at the office?” you pressed.

“I swear, I have no idea,” Steve defended.

“You would tell me if you knew something right?”

“Of course I would! I don’t know why he would say he’s at the office.”

“Steve… I need you to be honest with me right now,” you started. “Is he cheating on me?”

“I’m always honest. I could never lie to you. That being said, I don’t know. He hasn’t said anything to me but even he knows telling me would be a dumb move.”

You silently looked off to the side, avoiding Steve’s gaze. You had been worried that something was going on with someone else. Bucky had been staying at the office later and more often than usual. You knew Steve wouldn’t lie to you but you also couldn’t shake the sinking feeling that something was wrong.

“Mommy!” Becca yelled, bringing your attention back to her. “Look! Bunnies!”

You followed her finger and sure enough, there were three or four white bunnies in a little pen in the middle of the chaos. Ever the curious kid, Becca started pestering you with questions. She finally landed on one you weren’t ready for.

“Why do they have bunnies here?”

You could clearly see they were meant to be sold, something you already didn’t agree with. But you also didn’t want Becca to know they were available to take home, knowing she would spend the foreseeable future begging you for one.

“They’re um…” you trailed off, searching for an answer that wouldn’t end in you taking home a bunny.

“They’re the Easter Bunny’s helpers, Bec,” Steve chimed in.

Becca gave Steve a skeptical look.

“I don’t believe you. Why would the Easter bunny need helpers?”

“Well,” Steve said, crouching down to Becca’s height. “The Easter bunny has to get around just like Santa does right?”

Becca gave him a nod of confirmation, although she still looked skeptical.

“These bunnies are his helpers, like how Santa has elves!”

Becca looked between Steve and the bunnies a few times before nodding and smiling at him.

“How do you know so much stuff?” Becca asked Steve.

“Because I’m a grownup. But no one knows more than your mom.”

“She’s the smartest,” Becca confirmed.

“That’s exactly right,” Steve said with a chuckle.

Before you knew it, it was your turn to sit with the Easter Bunny. He waved at Becca who instantly grabbed Steve’s hand and shuffled closer to him.

“It’s okay Becs! All those other kids did it,” you tried comforting.

“No,” she mumbled, pressing into Steve’s legs. You rubbed her back and looked up at Steve, already accepting defeat.

“Hey Becs,” he said, crouching down to look her in the eye. “Why don’t you go up there with your mom? It’ll probably make you feel better.”

“You too,” Becca whispered.

Steve looked over at you and you nodded enthusiastically.

“Okay, c’mon!” he cheered, picking her up and walking her over to the bunny. You walked over to the seat and smiled at the bunny, still a little uneasy around them. Steve handed you Becca and you perched yourselves on the arm of the chair next to the Easter Bunny and Steve came up behind you, rubbing your arm to calm you down.

The three of you smiled for the picture and it was all over quickly. You picked Becca back up and carried her over to the photo counter to make your purchases. You admired the picture of the three of you, Becca looked adorable and Steve looked handsome as always. You looked like a family- except you weren’t. Your husband was off doing God knows what and you were here with his best friend. It should have felt wrong. But looking at that picture and thinking back on all the times Steve had been there for you and Becca, all the things Bucky had missed out on but Steve had been there for, it felt natural.

“Hey,” Steve said, lightly touching your elbow. “You okay?”

“Yeah, of course. Why?”

“Because I mentioned ice cream and you’re not frothing at the mouth,” he said with a chuckle.

“Actually, can you do me a huge favor?” you asked, getting an idea.

“Can you take my car and take Becca to ice cream? I’ll meet the two of you over there in a little bit?”

“What are you gonna do?” Steve questioned worriedly.

“I’m gonna swing by the office real quick. Just check in on Bucky.”

“I’m not sure you wanna do that…” he said.

“I do Steve. I do want to do this. I have to know. I really have to know what’s going on. I can’t just keep wondering!”

“Okay, alright. I’ll take Becs for ice cream. But please be careful,” he warned.

You and Steve walked Becca out to the car, she was so excited about ice cream with Steve that she wasn’t even worried that you weren’t with them. You gave her a kiss on the head and hugged Steve, promising you would be to the ice cream shop soon.

As you drove over to the office building where Bucky worked, you couldn’t help the building feeling of dread that was building in your stomach. When you met Bucky, you thought you had met the man that you would spend the rest of your life with. Now you weren’t so sure. The past few years had been hard, something had shifted between you and Bucky and neither of you knew how to get back on track, not that either of you had really tried talking about it.

Before you knew it and probably before you were ready, you were pulling into the parking lot of the office building. You used the badge Bucky had given you years ago to get into the building without having to buzz up.

You quickly made your way through the office building, walking into the elevator and pushing the button for Bucky’s floor. The doors opened and you quietly stepped out. All the lights were off except for one, the light in Bucky’s office. Maybe he was working after all and just got jumbled with who’s contract he was working on. As you neared the closed door, your stomach dropped. A girlish giggle followed by some low murmurs made your entire body tense. Before you could chicken out, you whipped open his office door.

Bucky was leaning against his desk, wrinkled clothes haphazardly throw on while his secretary, Jill, was standing between his legs with her arms around his waist and her lips on his neck.

“Really Bucky?!” you yelled, causing him to jump and push Jill away. “Your fucking secretary?! Could this be any more cliche right now?!”

“Baby… what are you doing here?” he said, moving towards you.

You took a step back and threw your hands up in surrender.

“Don’t touch me. Keep your goddamn hands off me.”

Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Jill gathering her things hastily and preparing to exit.

“Nope, you stay,” you said with a false smile. “You stay Jill. I’m leaving.”

You turned your attention back to Bucky.

“I want you out of the house. I don’t care where you go but you’re not coming home to me.”

“Sweetheart,” Bucky said, trying once again to reach out for you.

“I’m sorry that I couldn’t be enough for you anymore Bucky. I’m sorry that me and your daughter weren’t enough.”

With that, you turned around and left, closing the door behind you and jogging to the elevator. You made it in and when the doors closed, your tears began to fall. You felt stupid. How could you not have seen this coming? You briefly wondered how long it had been going on but quickly pushed the thought away; none of the answers would make you feel better. You got back into Steve’s car and after confirming that they were still at the ice cream shop, you set off in that direction. The sunlight hit your wedding ring, drawing your attention to it. You glared at it for a moment before pulling it off and throwing it in your purse.

You were so lost in thought that you didn’t realize you were at your destination. You took a deep breath and leaned your head on the steering wheel. You couldn’t think about the disaster that was your marriage right now. You needed to be a mom first. You wiped your eyes and got out of the car, walking into the ice cream shop and searching for Becca and Steve.

“Mommy!” Becca yelled from her spot on Steve’s lap.

You walked over and sat across from them, kissing Becca’s head as you went. Steve watched you carefully. He could tell something was wrong and when he saw your naked ring finger, he knew. Steve reaches out and squeezed your hand that was laying on the table. You gave him a shaky smile and squeezed back. Steve didn’t care if Bucky was his best friend. He would be there for you no matter what came next.


	2. Part Two

Two weeks. It had been two weeks since you found out Bucky was cheating on you with his secretary. That night, you made him pack a bag, ignoring his pleas and sent him away. Becca was asleep during the ordeal, something you were grateful for but it didn’t stop her from asking a million questions. Steve refused to let Bucky stay with him so he was staying with Sam. 

You stood at the stove, flipping eggs around the pan, lost in your own mind until Becca spoke up. 

“Mama?” 

“Yeah baby?” you asked, turning to face her. 

“When’s daddy coming home?” she questioned. 

Your heart broke for her. She was just a kid that missed her dad and as far as she was concerned, you were the reason he wasn’t around anymore. 

“I don’t know,” you said with a sigh. 

“Why not? Why isn’t he here? Where is he?” she asked rapidly. 

“Becca!” you snapped. “He just isn’t here okay?”

“I hate you! You made daddy leave!” she yelled, sliding off the stool and running up to her room. You couldn’t even call her name before she was gone. You put your head in your hands and did your best to ignore the gnawing feeling in your gut telling you to just let Bucky come home. It would be easier, you reasoned. Your kid would be happy and maybe he just made a mistake. 

“Ladies?” Steve called from the front of the house. 

You cleared your throat, pushing down the emotions that had bubbled up. 

“In here,” you yelled back. 

“Well, how are you this lovely morning?” Steve said before sniffing the air and furrowing his brow. He looked over at the stove and saw the eggs you had been cooking were now past the definition of burnt. He rushed over and took the pan off the burner and turned it off. 

“Great, just fucking great,” you said, storming over and picking up the pan before pacing the kitchen. 

“What’s going on?” Steve questioned. 

“What’s going on?” you repeated. “What’s going on is that I’m fucking mother of the year! I can’t make breakfast for my kid or even talk to her without her telling me that she hates me.” 

You threw the pan into the sink and it clattered against the other dishes. 

“What’s going on is my husband cheated on me and I have no goddamn idea what to do now.”

“Okay, come here,” Steve said, reaching out for you. 

“It’s fine Steve,” you snapped, pushing him away. 

Steve looked at you for a second before quickly wrapping you in his arms and pulling you into his chest. 

“It’s okay,” he whispered as he held you tightly. “Why is Becca so upset with you?”

You couldn’t stop the sobs that racked your body as you cried into Steve’s shoulder. 

“She overheard me on the phone with Bucky last night. I told him he couldn’t come home and she heard me.” You paused to gather your thoughts. “What do I do Steve? About Becs? Or me?” 

“I don’t know,” Steve said. “But you’ll figure it out. We both will. You know that I’m here no matter what.” 

You pulled back from Steve and wiped your eyes, chuckling as you looked up at him. 

“You’re supposed to be his best friend you know?” 

“Not when he did this to you.”  

You gave him a half-smile. 

“Thank you,” you whispered. 

“Now!” he said, clapping his hands together. “Onto why I actually came over. You’re understandably stressed and I’m sure Becca isn’t helping. So, I’m gonna take her for a few hours and you’re gonna take that time to relax. Maybe think. Maybe get day drunk on wine, that’s up to you.” 

“That sounds amazing Steve, but you don’t have to do all that. We’ll manage.” 

“I’m not saying you won’t. I’m saying you need a break. This isn’t just hard on Becca. You’ve gotta take care of yourself,” he said, rubbing your arms comfortingly. 

“Okay,” you conceded. “Thank you, I’ll go try to talk to her.” 

“Call me if you need backup.” 

You jogged up the stairs and stopped in front of Becca’s door, knocking lightly. When no response came, you opened the door gently, expecting her to be huddle on her bed but to your surprise, the room was empty. 

“Becca?” you called out as you walked into your bedroom. You heard sniffling coming from the walk-in closet and walked over, sliding open the door. You looked around and under Bucky’s hanging dress shirts was Becca, her knees pulled to her chest with her arms wrapped around them. 

“Hey bug,” you said softly. “Can I come in?” 

She didn’t give a response so you walked in and sat next to her. 

“Becca? Can you look at me for a second?” 

Becca peaked up, her eyes wet with tears. 

“I’m sorry that I yelled at you. I’m not mad at you.” 

She stayed silent, looking at you as she weighed your words. 

“Okay,” she mumbled, looking back down. “I miss daddy.”  

You bite your lip as tears came in your eyes. 

“I know baby, I do too,” you admitted. 

“Then why can’t he come home?!” she yelled, looking back up at you. 

“Bec… daddy made a really big mistake. A grown-up mistake. So me and daddy just have to figure out what to do next. I know this is impossible for you to understand right now. But it’s all gonna turn out okay, I promise.” 

She nodded and then crawled into your lap, wrapping her arms around your neck. You rubbed her back soothingly and kissed her head before speaking. 

“You know who’s downstairs though?” you asked, trying to cheer her up. “Uncle Steve. And he wants to take you out for an adventure.” 

“What kind of adventure?” she asked, perking up and lifted her head. 

“A Steve and Becca kind of adventure. Why don’t you go get dressed and then you can find out.” 

Becca hopped out of your lap and ran into her room, presumably grabbing the outfit you had left out earlier and you took the opportunity to throw on something other than PJ’s- a pair of leggings and a tee-shirt. You ran your fingers along the hangers holding Bucky’s shirts, feeling the soft fabric under your fingertips. You weren’t lying to Becca, you did miss Bucky. But you weren’t ready to let him back in your home yet. You heard Becca running down the stairs followed by a grunt you assumed came from Steve. 

You jogged downstairs and saw Steve crouched in front of Becca, tying her shoes while she rambled on and on. The sight warmed your heart. Steve has always been so amazing, even more so once Becca was born. You sometimes pestered him about getting his own wife and kids but he would just blush and shrug it off. 

You walked into the living room and ruffled Steve’s hair as he finished tying Becca’s shoes. 

“Alright kiddo, you ready?!” he cheered as he stood to his full height. 

“Yeah!” she yelled, running over to you for a hug and a kiss goodbye. Becca then scurried over to the door, waiting for Steve to follow. 

Steve turned to you and pulled you into a hug, squeezing tightly before whispering in your ear. 

“Remember, take some time and relax today. You deserve it.” 

You pulled back and kissed his bearded cheek in thanks, waving goodbye to Becca as the two of them left. You looked around you empty home, quickly making a plan for the day, you would clean the kitchen and then settle into a bath, maybe with the new book you bought but had yet to read. You smiled to yourself and started your day. 

+++++++

Bucky sat up in bed with a groan, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. He looked at the other side of the bed where you should be laying beside him but it was empty. He felt a pang in his heart remembering how Becca would run into your shared bedroom to wake the two of you up on Saturday’s. All three of you would cuddle in bed until someone’s stomach starting grumbling for food. 

“Hey sleepyhead,” Jill said, walking into the room. “Last night was fun.” 

“Jill…” Bucky said, not bothering to hide his annoyance. 

“What?” 

“This can’t happen again,” Bucky said sternly. 

“That’s not what you were saying last night,” she responded with a smirk. 

“I’m serious. I love my wife.” 

“Seriously?!” she shrieked. “What happened to everything you said these past few months? That she didn’t care about you? She didn’t love you anymore? That I was your perfect woman? That you were going to leave her?!” 

“I made a mistake,” Bucky said, getting out of Jill’s bed and getting dressed. “And I’m not making any more mistakes. This was the last time Jill.” 

“Yeah. that’s what you said two weeks ago when your wife caught us,” she scoffed. 

“I mean it this time.” 

“Fine,” Jill said, going over to the door and swinging it open. “Bye.” 

Bucky left without a word, quickly walking to his car. He grabbed his phone and dialed your number but wasn’t surprised when you didn’t answer. Bucky had respected your wishes so far, he hadn’t called except to talk to Becca and he hadn’t come by the house. But he was done with that. The two of you needed to talk and he wasn’t waiting for you to come to him. 

As he started driving in the direction of the house, he let his mind wander to how he got himself in this situation in the first place. After you gave birth to Becca, you wouldn’t let Bucky touch you after a few months. Every time he tried to initiate things in the bedroom, you pushed him away claiming you were tired. He didn’t blame you but a guy has needs! One night he went to a bar after work and there was this girl. She was young and pretty and she was looking at him like he was her next meal. He didn’t even get her name, they fucked in the bar bathroom. But when Bucky went home that night and saw his baby girl sleeping in her bassinet and you, fast asleep in the bed beside her, he swore he would never do it again. A cheap thrill wasn’t worth losing everything he had. 

That should have been the end of it but a few months later, he was with another girl that wasn’t you. None of them had been serious- just one night stands. Until Jill. Jill was smart, sexy, and everything in between. She was always flirting and he flirted back until one night, it wasn’t just flirting anymore. They started hooking up regularly and Bucky couldn’t find it in himself to stop. Over time, he started confiding in her, telling her things about your relationship and how he was feeling until he let the words slip. He told Jill he loved her. It wasn’t untrue but it wasn’t what he wanted. He wanted you. Bucky was a block from your house when his nerves got the best of him. He took a detour, making a quick stop at the local dive bar. He would have a drink and then come convince you to take him back. 

++++++

Steve looked in his rearview mirror and looked at Becca playing with the stuffed dog he had bought her earlier in the day. A trip to the park and the toy store seemed to put Becca is a good mood until she stopped playing and caught Steve’s eye in the mirror. 

“Uncle Steve?” 

“Yeah, kiddo?” 

“Is my dad coming home?” she questioned. 

“I don’t know Becs. Your mom and dad are still trying to figure that out,” he said, looking back at her once again. 

Becca looked down sadly, tears welling in her eyes. 

“Hey, but what I do know is that we all love you so much and everything will be okay.” 

“That’s what mommy said,” she whispered. 

“And remember? Mommy is the smartest.” 

Becca gave Steve a small smile and nod before returning to her stuffed dog, making little woofs and yelps as they pulled into the driveway of the Barnes’s home. Steve furrowed his brow when he saw a familiar car in the driveway- he though you had told Bucky not to come to the house. 

Steve put the car in park and turned to face Becca. 

“Becs, I need you to stay in the car for a minute, okay?” 

She shrugged her shoulders and continued playing with her new toy, making Steve smile. He got out of the car and marched up to Bucky. 

“Hey,” he said, grabbing his shoulder. “Does Y/N know your here?” 

“Does it matter? I bought this goddamn house. I can come over whenever I want.” 

“Bucky…” 

“What the hell are you even doing here?!” Bucky suddenly yelled. “I’m not around for a couple weeks and you just swoop in and steal my family?!” 

Steve opened his mouth to answer but was cut off by the door swinging open. 

“What the hell is going on out here?” 

Steve turned to face you and took in your appearance, you were wearing a tee-shirt and shorts and your hair was wet. He smiled at you, knowing you took his advice and relaxed while he had Becca. 

“Uh Steve?” you questioned, looking around. “You got my kid somewhere?” 

“She’s in the car,” he said with a chuckle. “I didn’t want her-” 

Before he could finish his sentence, Bucky was yelling in his face. 

“Didn’t want her what? Seeing her father?! Get the hell out of here Rogers! None of this concerns you.”

Steve cringed at the stench coming from Bucky. 

“Have you been drinking?” 

“Daddy!” Becca yelled, running up to the three adults. 

Bucky put on his best smile before crouching and hugging his daughter. 

“Hey baby, how are you?” 

“So good! Uncle Steve took me to the park and the toy store! He got me this!” she said, thrusting out the plush white dog. “I think I’m naming him Snowy. Because he’s white!” 

Bucky gave a forced smile as Becca continued talking. You wouldn’t let him come home but you would just let Steve do whatever the hell he wanted? 

“That’s great kiddo,” he responded half-heartedly. 

“Hey bug,” you called from your position on the porch. “Why don’t you go inside?” 

Becca looked over at you and nodded, walking towards the door. 

“Hold on, did you tell Uncle Steve ‘thank you’?” you prompted. 

She turned and ran back to Steve, throwing her arms around his neck when he crouched to hug her. 

“Thank you Uncle Steve,” she mumbled into his chest. 

“Anything Becs,” he replied before kissing her head and releasing her. “Now go inside like your mom told ya to.” 

Once Becca was safely inside, Steve turned to Bucky, ready to pull him away if needed. 

“What are you doing here Bucky?” you asked quietly. 

“I can’t come back to my own house?” 

“Bucky…” you warned. 

“So, two weeks and you already replaced me?” he asked sarcastically. 

“What are you talking about?” 

Bucky pointed an accusing finger at Steve. 

“Him! What’s he doing here?” 

“I’m here looking out for your wife and kid Buck!” Steve interjected. 

“Nobody asked you to do that Steve,” Bucky grumbled. 

“It’s not like you were exactly doing it,” Steve retorted. 

“That’s your problem, Rogers! You’re always sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong. Just because you’ve wanted to fuck my wife since day one…” 

Bucky didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence before Steve stormed up to him and punched him in the face, causing him to fall backward onto the lawn. The front door slammed open and Becca ran out towards Bucky. You tried to stop her but she pulled away from you, skidding to a stop next to Bucky on the ground. 

“I’m okay, kiddo. I promise, it’s okay,” he said, attempting to comfort her. 

Becca looking from Bucky to Steve before storming over to him, her little fists flying out and connecting with whatever they could. 

“You hit my daddy! I hate you!” she yelled. 

You ran over to where she and Steve were and scooped her up, her small body thrashing in your arms as Bucky got back to his feet. You handed Becca to him and instructed the two of them to go inside. 

“Steve,” you said quietly, looking over at him. “I think you should go.” 

“What? You heard what he was saying right?” 

“I heard, I just… he’s my husband Stevie. He’s Becca’s dad. I can’t just throw all that away.” 

Steve sighed, knowing your mind was made up. 

“Okay, that’s fine. I’ll keep my distance,” he mumbled. 

“I’m sorry Steve. I don’t want-” 

“I know. I know. It’s okay. I’m still here if you need me,” he said, cutting you off. 

Steve pulled you into his arms and quickly hugged you. He saw Bucky watching from the front window and from the look on his face, he wasn’t happy to see Steve touching you. He kissed your head and released you. 

“I’ll see you later,” he said, retreating down the driveway and to his car. 

You waved as he pulled off and turned back to your house. You weren’t sure you would ready for whatever was coming next.


	3. Part Three

You tossed around in your bed, trying to chase the last moments of sleep before Bucky’s alarm sounded, signifying the start to both of your days. A strong arm wrapped around your waist and pulled your back into a hard chest followed by a gentle kiss to your shoulder.

“Good morning beautiful,” Bucky mumbled.

“Morning,” you whispered back.

It had been two months since the incident with Bucky and Steve had happened. Steve had kept his word, keeping his distance from the three of you except to come over and apologize to Becca. She quickly accepted and things went back to normal. Steve texted you only once or twice, he stopped when he got the hint you didn’t want to talk from your one-word answers and he had stopped dropping by. You and Bucky had been in therapy, except outside of the office walls, you weren’t sure it was making a difference.

At first, Bucky had been the perfect husband he had promised to be- home by 5:30 every day, spoiling you and Becca at every turn. Slowly but surely, those things had stopped and old habits returned, missed dinners and late nights at the office. Last night had been one of those nights, you tucked Becca in alone and went back downstairs, pouring a glass of wine while you thumbed through the unanswered messages you sent to Bucky. Your thumb hovered over Steve’s contact information but you quickly shook your head. Texting him would be a mistake, you couldn’t depend on the man who wasn’t your husband for comfort at every turn, it wasn’t fair to either of you. Two glasses of wine later, you snuggled into bed- alone.

“Where were you last night?” you asked Bucky softly.

“Jesus, it’s not even 6:30 in the morning and already with the interrogation?” he grumbled, pulling away from you and getting out of bed. You sighed and closed your eyes.

“I’m sorry, I was just curious,” you defended.

“Late night at the office. I didn’t have a chance to call you,” he replied shortly.

“Okay,” you sighed as he turned and went into the attached bathroom. You silenced the alarm clock when it went off, swinging your legs out of the bed and walking over to the bathroom door.

“Maybe me and Becca can come visit you at lunch today?” you said, already preparing for the rejection. The door swung open suddenly, revealing a half-naked Bucky.

“That would be nice baby,” he mumbled through the toothbrush in his mouth.

You smiled and kissed his cheek, leaving your room and heading to the kitchen to get breakfast started.

+++++++

Thirty minutes later, Bucky was kissing you and Becca goodbye, promising to see you at lunch. You heard the door close and turned to Becca.

“All right Becca bug, what are we up to today?” you asked.

“Ummmmm. A movie!” she cheered.

“I think we can do that,” you said, cleaning up the breakfast mess. “What movie were ya thinking?”

“Toy Story!” she said, running back up to her room, leaving you in the kitchen confused. She returned a moment later, her Buzz and Woody toys clutched to her chest. “I’m ready mama.”

“You certainly are,” you confirmed, pushing her hair out of her eyes. “Go get snuggled up on the couch and I’ll be there in a sec.”

Becca ran off and you followed shortly after, grabbing the DVD from the shelf and getting it queued up before joining her on the couch. She cuddled into your side, placing her toy Woody in your lap, knowing he was your favorite.

“Mama?” she asked about twenty minutes into the movie.

“Yes, baby?”

“Where’s Uncle Steve?”

“What do you mean?” you questioned.

“He doesn’t come over anymore. Normally he watches Toy Story with me. It’s his favorite.”

You sighed as you considered her words. Steve had been the one to introduce Becca to Toy Story, even buying her the toys currently sat in your laps. You should have seen this coming.

“Well bug, Uncle Steve and daddy aren’t getting along right now. Like when you didn’t get along with Amy at school, you didn’t go to her house for a while did you?”

“No,” she confirmed. You looked over at her and realized she was deep in thought. “Is Uncle Steve mad at me?”

“Of course not!” you said, turning on the couch to fully face her. “He’s not mad at you, he never could be. Him and daddy just needed some space from each other.”

“I hope he and daddy stop fighting soon. I miss Uncle Steve,” she mumbled, becoming engrossed in the movie again.

“I know bug,” you said wrapping an arm around her. “I miss him too.”

+++++++

Steve sat at his desk, typing the report that had to be done by the end of the day. He heard his phone chime but ignored it, knowing he had to get these finished quickly and sent for approval before lunch if he had any hope of leaving on time. Not that it mattered anymore, he didn’t have much to do after work. Steve had decided to give you and Becca space, he didn’t want to interrupt whatever you were trying to fix with Bucky. His phone chimed again and he picked it up, thinking it might be important. He smiled to himself when he was it was two texts from you, maybe you were lifting the unofficial texting ban that you had placed. A third chime quickly sounded, alerting him to a third message from you.

The first message was a picture of Becca, her Buzz Lightyear toy in her lap, focusing intently on what he assumed was the TV. The caption simply read “ _This is less fun when you’re not here_ ”.

The second message was a selfie of you, Becca’s Woody toy held in your hand. Steve laughed at the caption, “ _Don’t worry, I’ve got Woody… why did they name a children’s character that? Someone call Tom Hanks asap_ ”.

The third message didn’t have a picture, it was just a text. “ _Me and Becs are coming to the office today. Can we swing by? Becca misses you.._ ”. Before he could begin typing, another message from you popped up. “ _And I miss you too._ ”.

Steve typed out a message quickly before he could think too much about it, “ _Of course, my door is always open for the two of you. I miss you too_ ”.

Steve smiled to himself as he looked back to his computer; at least now he had something to look forward to.

+++++

You frowned as the elevator opened to Bucky’s floor, the last time you had been here was when you caught Bucky. You shook your head and took a deep breath, Bucky loved you. He said he had switched secretaries with Sam and you had nothing to worry about- some part of you believed him at least. Becca knew her way around the office so she headed in the direction of Bucky’s door before you took her shoulders and guided her towards Steve’s office on the opposite side of the hall, she looked back at you confused. You just smiled and nodded your head in the same direction. You had decided not to tell Becca about visiting Steve, just in case he had to cancel- not that he ever had before. It only took Becca a few more minutes before she recognized where you were, taking off in a run when she was close to Steve’s door.

“Becca,” you warned before she burst through the door. “Knock.”

Becca knocked on the door gently and waited to hear a reply.

“Yeah?” you heard Steve question.

Becca looked at you and you nodded, letting her open the door.

“Uncle Steve!” she cheered, running through the door as you followed close behind.

“There ya are!” he replied, scooping her into his arms for a hug. “How’ve ya been kiddo?”

“Good! Me and mommy watched Toy Story today!”

“I know,” he said, smiling at you. “Your mom sent me a message.”

“You should come over soon, Uncle Steve. We can watch the next Toy Story,” Becca rambled.

Steve looked at you and you gave him a small smile and nod, letting him know it was okay.

“I would love that kiddo,” Steve confirmed.

“Well, who do we have here?” a voice from behind you said. You turned around and saw Bucky. He was smiling but under that, you could tell he was mad. Steve had been a sensitive topic lately.

“Hi daddy,” Becca said, still playing with Steve’s tie, barely looking up at him.

You could feel Bucky glaring at you but you didn’t pay attention to him, choosing instead to focus on Becca.

“You wanna go to lunch kiddo?” you asked.

“Can Uncle Steve come?” she asked as she hooked her arms around his neck.

“No,” Bucky said shortly.

“I’ve gotta get some work done bug, but I’ll come over and watch Toy Story with you soon yeah? And that’s even better than lunch,” Steve said, rubbing Becca’s back.

She considered it for a moment before she nodded and let Steve put her down. You took her hand and led her out of the room until she turned around and faced Steve once again.

“Promise?” she asked.

“Promise,” Steve confirmed, looking at her and then you.

“Let’s go back to my office,” Bucky demanded. “I’ve got a few things to finish up.”

You and Becca followed him back to the office, passing Sam’s office on the way. You waved to him and noticed Jill was, in fact, his secretary now. You gave her a tight smile and went on your way. You weren’t exactly mad at her, Bucky was the one who was married. You took a deep breath and shook the thoughts from your head- none of that was important. Becca took a seat on the small couch in Bucky’s office, pulling out the small box of things you had stashed there for impromptu visits and you sat in the chair across from his desk.

“So why were you in Steve’s office?” he asked while typing something you couldn’t see.

“I asked him if we could stop by,” you said with a shrug.

“Why?”

“Why? Because he’s my friend? Because Becca misses having him around?”

“Is there something going on that I should know about?” he asked, still looking at his computer screen.

You glanced over at Becca, making sure she was still occupied before answering.

“If you’re gonna accuse me of something, you better look at me while you do it,” you said tensely.

Bucky sighed and looked over at you.

“Listen, I get it. I wasn’t around for a few weeks but I need to know if something is going on between the two of you.”

“I’m not the one who cheated Bucky,” you hissed through clenched teeth.

“Fine,” he relented. “Let’s just go to lunch and forget I said anything.”

You opened your mouth to say something but thought better of it. You didn’t want to fight with him, especially not in his office in front of Becca.

“Sounds good,” you said with a smile.

++++++++

The next day, you set off on your Saturday morning errands, the first of which being the grocery store. You pushed your cart through the aisles, tossing things in and checking them off your list as you went. You were almost done when someone tapped your shoulder with a gentle ‘excuse me’. You turned around to see who it was and came face to face with Jill.

“What?” you asked shortly.

“I know this isn’t the place or way to do this. But I just really need to talk to you and I didn’t know how to get in touch with you so when I saw you here-”

“I’m sorry, is there a point coming soon? I’m not really in the mood to chat with my husband’s mistress.”

“It’s about that. I am so truly sorry. I just caught up in the whole thing and I let myself fall for him. I didn’t feel bad about it until I saw you and your little girl at the office yesterday. God, I don’t know how to tell you this but… me and Bucky are still meeting up.”

“What?” you whispered, looking into her eyes. “He said he ended it with you.”

“He did,” Jill confirmed. “But he called me again. We’ve been meeting up more often again. I’m so sorry.”

You looked at her and nodded.

“Okay, thank you I guess.”

She gave you a half-smile before turning and leaving you alone. You walked through the store on autopilot, grabbing the necessities before checking out and quickly going to your car before letting the dam break.

You sat in your car, sobbing uncontrollably, knowing you couldn’t forgive Bucky again. You didn’t know how much time had passed until there was a tapping on your window. You looked up and saw Steve’s blue eyes shining back at you with concern. He gestured for you to roll down your window.

“What’s going on? Are you okay?” he asked quickly.

“He’s still fucking her Steve. He’s still-”

You were cut off by your own loud sob. Steve’s eyes widened, before he dropped his bag of groceries to the ground, reached in your window and unlocked the door, opening it quickly and pulling you out of your seat and into his arms. You let yourself go limp in Steve’s arms, trusting him to hold you up.

“I’ve got you, it’s gonna be okay,” he mumbled into your hair.

You knew things were going to get worse before they got better but you also knew Steve would help carry you through.


	4. Epilogue

You stood on a chair, straightening the banner hanging above the fireplace for probably the hundredth time that day. You felt hands on your hips, gripping you tightly before gently lifting you off the chair and placing you on the ground with a kiss on your head. 

“It’s perfect,” Steve said, wrapping his arms around your waist. 

“Steveeee,” you whined. “She only turns seven once!” 

“She’s turning seven?!” he said, sarcastically. “I had no idea. It’s not like both of you have been waking me up every morning with a countdown to the big day or anything.”

“It’s a big deal, Steve!” 

“I know, I know. What can I do to help?” 

 “There are some heavy bags of ice in the kitchen calling your name,” you said with a smirk. 

Steve gave you a salute and then turned on his heel and headed off to the kitchen. You watched him walk away and you smiled. It had been a little over two years since the day Steve found you in the grocery store parking lot. 

When you finally got the courage to go back home, it wasn’t pretty. You and Bucky both yelled and cried until you couldn’t anymore. Bucky talked until he was blue in the face about how much he loved you and how it was just another mistake. He told you he would do anything, more counseling, trial separation- anything to keep you. But you had had enough. You couldn’t keep doing the back and forth. You told him you wanted a divorce and for a few months, things were bad. Bucky starting drinking more and showing up announced until you finally stood your ground. He had to get it together or he wouldn’t see Becca anymore. Apparently, being faced with losing his daughter was enough to get him to shape up. Now he had Becca every other weekend and some Wednesday’s, whenever his schedule allowed. 

You and Steve had gotten back to the close friendship you’d had before the whole mess had started. You told him countless times that if he wanted to take Bucky’s side in everything or find a less messy family to hang around with, you would be okay but he wouldn’t hear it. He helped you take care of Becca and take care of yourself. It didn’t take long for a friendship to evolve into something more. Steve had moved in six months ago. You were worried about how Becca would take it but when you brought it up, she was over the moon. The three of you had settled into the routine of a happy family. 

A few hours later, the party was in full swing. Kids ran around, yelling and laughing while hopped up on sugar. The adults stood around and mingled, sharing stories of their growing kids and families. You looked as you heard the door open and saw Bucky walk in. He gave you a tight smile and a wave before coming into the living room and placing his gift for Becca on her growing pile. He made his way into the kitchen to grab a beer before finally making his way to you. Steve and Bucky were by no means friends anymore but no more punches were thrown between the two. They were civil towards each other and that’s all you could hope for. 

“So, she’s seven huh?” Bucky commented. “She’s getting so big.” 

“Yeah, pretty soon it’ll be off to college with her,” you said with a laugh. 

“Hey, babe…” you heard Steve say, trailing off midsentence.

“Steve,” Bucky said with a nod. 

“Bucky,” Steve responded, equally as cordial. 

“What’s up?” you interjected, hoping to end the awkward reunion. 

“Becca wants to know if we can have cake soon. Apparently, the bowls of sugar weren’t enough,” Steve said, referring to the bowls of candy you had placed around the house. 

“I’m on it,” you confirmed. “Will you grab the plates?” 

You smiled at Bucky as you walked back towards the kitchen, getting Becca’s cake ready for her. 

++++++++++

Bucky watched as Steve followed you into the kitchen, laughing at something you had said. He watched you in the kitchen, licking frosting from your finger as you delicately pushed the candles in place on the cake. Steve had come up behind you and was holding your hips and kissing your cheek- just like Bucky used to. He watched as Steve moved around the kitchen he used to call his own, making you laugh just like he used to. 

When you told him you had wanted a divorce, it broke him. Bucky had thought the two of you could make it through anything but apparently, you’d had enough. The divorce had hurt, but watching Steve take his place in his family hurt more. Bucky had heard from mutual friends that Steve was going to propose soon. He knew you would say yes and then he wouldn’t ever have a chance to get you back. Bucky wanted you to be happy and while he knew he couldn’t be that for you anymore, he couldn’t help but fantasize about it. 

He had started cheating because he was unhappy and part of him thought that once the two of you weren’t married anymore, he would have a shot at being happy again but it just made things worse. He was glad Becca was still in his life but if he was being honest with himself, it was harder than he had thought. They still got along and it was clear Becca didn’t harbor any resentment towards him. 

Bucky watched as Becca ran into the kitchen, flying past him before backtracking and running towards him. They had a quick chat where Bucky promised to pick her up for dinner on Wednesday before she continued on her journey to her cake. She crashed into Steve and hugged him tightly before he picked her up. You took the cake, balancing it carefully and brought it into the dining room where everyone had gathered. Bucky joined in, singing happy birthday to the daughter he felt he barely knew, a fake smile plastered on his face. You set the cake down and Steve sat Becca in a chair so she could blow out her candles. Bucky watched as Steve pulled you closer, running his hand over your stomach as he whispered something you, making you grin. 

“I can’t believe they’re having their own baby,” he heard someone say. 

“I know, he’s been in love with her forever- thank god they finally worked it out,” someone else responded. 

Bucky stared at you until you finally looked up, your fingers still running absentmindedly along your stomach. He glanced at your stomach before looking back up at you, eyebrows raised in question. You gave him a smile and a reluctant nod before Becca stole your attention. 

That’s when Bucky finally realized it. He really had lost you, once and for all. But he was determined not to lose Becca. He was going to do everything he could to be the dad he hadn’t been in the past for years.


End file.
